# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 41 — Rāma leaves the sleeping citizens *Sumantra lays misleading tracks, Rāma crosses the Tamasā with Sītā & Lakṣmaṇa before the followers wake* Portion: The citizens follow and return · Verses: 33 · Ref format: 2.41. ## Sequence - At the Tamasā, Rāma marks their first night away and thinks of the grieving city (41.1–4) - trusting Bharata to comfort their parents, he thanks Lakṣmaṇa for helping protect Sītā and decides to take only water that night (41.5–8) - Sumantra feeds and tends the horses, then helps prepare a bed of leaves → Rāma and Sītā sleep while Lakṣmaṇa stays awake talking with Sumantra (41.9–16) - seeing the exhausted citizens asleep under trees, Rāma decides they should leave before the followers wake: affection for him should not force them into further hardship (41.17–22) - he sends Sumantra ahead alone with the chariot, telling him to drive north for a while and return so that the tracks will mislead the followers (41.23–26) - the travelers board, cross the Tamasā, and continue along a clear road (41.27–28) - the citizens wake, search for Rāma, follow the tracks briefly, and then lose them → unable to discover where he has gone, they return to Ayodhyā (41.29–33). ## Verses **2.41.1** tatas tu tamasā tīraṃ ramyam āśritya rāghavaḥ sītām udvīkṣya saumitrim idaṃ vacanam abravīt Then, having reached the lovely bank of the Tamasā, Rāghava, gazing at Sītā, spoke these words to Saumitri. **2.41.2** iyam adya niśā pūrvā saumitre prasthitā vanam vanavāsasya bhadraṃ te sa notkaṇṭhitum arhasi This is the first night, Saumitri, since we set out for the forest; blessings on you—you must not grieve over our forest life. **2.41.3** paśya śūnyāny araṇyāni rudantīva samantataḥ yathānilayam āyadbhir nilīnāni mṛgadvijaiḥ See the empty forests that seem to weep on every side, now settled into stillness as their beasts and birds withdraw each to its own lair. **2.41.4** adyāyodhyā tu nagarī rājadhānī pitur mama sastrīpuṃsā gatān asmāñ śociṣyati na saṃśayaḥ Today the city of Ayodhyā, my father's capital, with its women and men, will surely grieve for us who have departed—there is no doubt. **2.41.5** bharataḥ khalu dharmātmā pitaraṃ mātaraṃ ca me dharmārthakāmasahitair vākyair āśvāsayiṣyati Bharata, righteous of soul, will surely comfort my father and my mother with words attended by dharma, artha, and kāma. **2.41.6** bharatasyānṛśaṃsatvaṃ saṃcintyāhaṃ punaḥ punaḥ nānuśocāmi pitaraṃ mātaraṃ cāpi lakṣmaṇa Reflecting again and again on Bharata's gentleness, I do not grieve for my father, nor even for my mother, Lakṣmaṇa. **2.41.7** tvayā kāryaṃ naravyāghra mām anuvrajatā kṛtam anveṣṭavyā hi vaidehyā rakṣaṇārthe sahāyatā By you, tiger among men, in following me, a needed service has been done; for a helper had to be found to protect Vaidehī. **2.41.8** adbhir eva tu saumitre vatsyāmy adya niśām imām etad dhi rocate mahyaṃ vanye 'pi vividhe sati With water alone, Saumitri, will I pass this night today; this indeed pleases me, though various forest-fare be at hand. **2.41.9** evam uktvā tu saumitraṃ sumantram api rāghavaḥ apramattas tvam aśveṣu bhava saumyety uvāca ha Having thus spoken to Saumitri, Rāghava said also to Sumantra: 'Be watchful over the horses, gentle one.' **2.41.10** so 'śvān sumantraḥ saṃyamya sūrye 'staṃ samupāgate prabhūtayavasān kṛtvā babhūva pratyanantaraḥ Sumantra, tethering the horses as the sun had gone to its setting and providing them abundant fodder, remained close at hand. **2.41.11** upāsyatu śivāṃ saṃdhyāṃ dṛṣṭvā rātrim upasthitām rāmasya śayanaṃ cakre sūtaḥ saumitriṇā saha Having worshipped the auspicious twilight and seen that night had come, the charioteer, together with Saumitri, made Rāma's bed. **2.41.12** tāṃ śayyāṃ tamasātīre vīkṣya vṛkṣadalaiḥ kṛtām rāmaḥ saumitriṇāṃ sārdhaṃ sabhāryaḥ saṃviveśa ha Gazing at that bed made of tree-leaves on the bank of the Tamasā, Rāma, with his wife and together with Saumitri, lay down. **2.41.13** sabhāryaṃ saṃprasuptaṃ taṃ bhrātaraṃ vīkṣya lakṣmaṇaḥ kathayām āsa sūtāya rāmasya vividhān guṇān Seeing his brother fast asleep with his wife, Lakṣmaṇa recounted to the charioteer Rāma's manifold virtues. **2.41.14** jāgrato hy eva tāṃ rātriṃ saumitrer udito raviḥ sūtasya tamasātīre rāmasya bruvato guṇān As Saumitri kept awake that whole night telling the charioteer of Rāma's virtues on the bank of the Tamasā, the sun rose upon them. **2.41.15** gokulākulatīrāyās tamasāyā vidūrataḥ avasat tatra tāṃ rātriṃ rāmaḥ prakṛtibhiḥ saha At some distance from the Tamasā, whose banks were thronged with herds of cattle, Rāma passed that night there together with the citizens. **2.41.16** utthāya tu mahātejāḥ prakṛtīs tā niśāmya ca abravīd bhrātaraṃ rāmo lakṣmaṇaṃ puṇyalakṣaṇam Rising, the greatly resplendent Rāma, and beholding those citizens, spoke to his brother Lakṣmaṇa, marked with auspicious signs. **2.41.17** asmadvyapekṣān saumitre nirapekṣān gṛheṣv api vṛkṣamūleṣu saṃsuptān paśya lakṣmaṇa sāmpratam Behold now, Lakṣmaṇa Saumitri, these people intent upon us, heedless even of their own homes, sleeping at the feet of trees. **2.41.18** yathaite niyamaṃ paurāḥ kurvanty asmannivartane api prāṇān asiṣyanti na tu tyakṣyanti niścayam Seeing how these townsfolk make it their vow to turn us back, they would sooner cast off their very lives than abandon their resolve. **2.41.19** yāvad eva tu saṃsuptās tāvad eva vayaṃ laghu ratham āruhya gacchāmaḥ panthānam akutobhayam While they are still fast asleep, let us at once mount the chariot and set off along a road free of danger from any quarter. **2.41.20** ato bhūyo 'pi nedānīm ikṣvākupuravāsinaḥ svapeyur anuraktā māṃ vṛkṣamūlāni saṃśritāḥ So that these devoted dwellers of the Ikṣvāku city may not now once more sleep clinging to the roots of trees out of love for me. **2.41.21** paurā hy ātmakṛtād duḥkhād vipramocyā nṛpātmajaiḥ na tu khalv ātmanā yojyā duḥkhena puravāsinaḥ For princes ought to free the townsfolk from self-incurred sorrow, and surely never themselves burden the city-dwellers with grief. **2.41.22** abravīl lakṣmaṇo rāmaṃ sākṣād dharmam iva sthitam rocate me mahāprājña kṣipram āruhyatām iti Lakṣmaṇa said to Rāma, who stood there like Dharma made visible: 'It pleases me, greatly wise one; let us mount at once.' **2.41.23** sūtas tataḥ saṃtvaritaḥ syandanaṃ tair hayottamaiḥ yojayitvātha rāmāya prāñjaliḥ pratyavedayat Then the charioteer, in haste, having yoked the chariot with those excellent horses, announced it to Rāma with palms joined. **2.41.24** mohanārthaṃ tu paurāṇāṃ sūtaṃ rāmo 'bravīd vacaḥ udaṅmukhaḥ prayāhi tvaṃ ratham āsthāya sārathe To mislead the townsfolk, Rāma spoke this word to the charioteer: 'Mount the chariot and drive off facing north, O charioteer.' **2.41.25** muhūrtaṃ tvaritaṃ gatvā nirgataya rathaṃ punaḥ yathā na vidyuḥ paurā māṃ tathā kuru samāhitaḥ Having driven swiftly for a while, turn the chariot back again; act with care, so that the townsfolk may not find out where I am. **2.41.26** rāmasya vacanaṃ śrutvā tathā cakre sa sārathiḥ pratyāgamya ca rāmasya syandanaṃ pratyavedayat Hearing Rāma's word, the charioteer did so, and returning, announced to Rāma that the chariot was ready. **2.41.27** taṃ syandanam adhiṣṭhāya rāghavaḥ saparicchadaḥ śīghragām ākulāvartāṃ tamasām ataran nadīm Mounting that chariot, Rāghava with his retinue crossed the swift-flowing Tamasā river with its swirling eddies. **2.41.28** sa saṃtīrya mahābāhuḥ śrīmāñ śivam akaṇṭakam prāpadyata mahāmārgam abhayaṃ bhayadarśinām Having crossed over, the mighty-armed and glorious Rāma reached a great highway, auspicious and thornless, safe even for those who see danger everywhere. **2.41.29** prabhātāyāṃ tu śarvaryāṃ paurās te rāghavo vinā śokopahataniśceṣṭā babhūvur hatacetasaḥ When night had brightened into dawn, those townsfolk, left without Rāghava, became motionless, struck down by grief, their wits shattered. **2.41.30** śokajāśruparidyūnā vīkṣamāṇās tatas tataḥ ālokam api rāmasya na paśyanti sma duḥkhitāḥ Worn down by tears born of grief, looking about here and there, the sorrowful ones could not catch even a glimpse of Rāma. **2.41.31** tato mārgānusāreṇa gatvā kiṃ cit kṣaṇaṃ punaḥ mārganāśād viṣādena mahatā samabhiplutaḥ Then, following the track for a little while, again, when the trail was lost, they were overwhelmed by great despair. **2.41.32** rathasya mārganāśena nyavartanta manasvinaḥ kim idaṃ kiṃ kariṣyāmo daivenopahatā iti At the loss of the chariot's track the noble-minded ones turned back, crying, 'What is this? What shall we do, stricken by fate?' **2.41.33** tato yathāgatenaiva mārgeṇa klāntacetasaḥ ayodhyām agaman sarve purīṃ vyathitasajjanām Then, by the very road by which they had come, with weary hearts, they all went back to Ayodhyā, the city whose good folk were stricken with grief.